Italian consumers have an increasingly strong appetite for smoked salmon, sushi and poke, finds new analysis

Sushi and salmon have become favourites at Italian eateries, with some dishes now almost as popular as meat courses, according to a new consumer survey conducted by the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC). 

Amid high demand for smoked salmon and sushi and poke with salmon as the main ingredient, Italy has one of the largest numbers of sushi restaurants in Europe. In Milan alone, there are so many that the city ranks among the world leaders in terms of the number of sushi restaurants per capita. Additionally, there are about a thousand eateries where poke bowls are the main menu item. By the end of 2025, it is expected that the number will increase to 1,500.

Partly due to the popularity of sushi and poke dishes, Italy has become Norway’s third-largest market for salmon consumption. Nearly 10% of all salmon produced in Norway ends up in Italy. Estimates show Italians consumed nearly 140,000 tonnes of Norwegian salmon last year, compared to around 84,000 tonnes in 2017.